Sylvester Stallonehas made a name for himself as one of the biggest action stars of all time, but he’s also had plenty of unloved releases across his varied filmography. While Stallone will go down in history for his unmatched portrayals of Rocky Balboa and John Rambo, there were many underrated hidden gems in his body of work just begging to be reappraised by a contemporary audience. Looking back and rewatching some of Stallone’s critical flops and financial failures, it’s surprising just how many hold up as solidly enjoyable movies.
There’s no denying that thebest Sylvester Stallone movieswere his most acclaimed, and nobody would try to claim that some forgotten 1980s box office flop could stand toe-to-toe against the likes of the originalRockyor career highlights such asCop Land. However, there have also been a lot of Stallone movies that were unfairly judged when they were released and, with the power of hindsight, showcased sides of the actor that were absent from his best-loved movies. As an actor, director, and writer,Stallone’s career featured plenty of unloved movies that were actually pretty good.
8Escape Plan (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 50%
If action movie lovers had been told in the 1980s that there would be aprison thriller starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, it would have been a cinematic dream come true. Witnessing these titans of the genre sharing the screen was always going to be a cinematic treat, but the lackluster response toEscape Plansuggested viewers weren’t that interested. While admittedly,Escape Planfailed to reach the heights of either star’s best work, this solid, simple, and entertaining film proved that both action heroes still had plenty of fuel left in the tank.
DespiteStallone and Schwarzenegger’s long-standing rivalryat the box office, they were able to put their differences aside long enough for this exciting prison break story. As Stallone’s character posed as an inmate in a high-security prison, he befriended Schwarzenegger, and together, they devised a plan to escape. While this dynamic duo could have done with a better script, their inmate chemistry played off one another perfectly, and they helped elevate what could have been a forgettable prison movie into an entertaining love letter to the camp action style they both became famous for.
Escape Plan
Cast
An action thriller film that stars movie action heroes, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Escape Plan follows Lawyer Ray Breslin, a security tester who enters a supermax prison to study its defenses. To accomplish the breakout, he’ll enlist the help of an inmate named Emil, a self-proclaimed hero who steals from the rich and gives to the poor.
7Paradise Alley (1978)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 40%
FollowingRocky’ssuccess, which took home the Academy Award for Best Picture, Sylvester Stallone had the world at his feet and could do anything he wanted creatively. Stallone channeled this incredible potential into his directional debut,Paradise Alley, a 1940s period film he wrote, directed, and starred in about three Italian brothers in Hell’s Kitchen becoming involved in professional wrestling. As a highly ambitious film,Paradise Alleywas slated by critics upon release who said it failed to live up toRockyand was described by Vincent Canby of theNew York Timesas “a phony, attitudinizing, self-indulgent mess.”
This lackluster response toParadise Alleyhas followed the film ever since, and Stallone himself even expressed regret that the final product did not live up to his creative vision. However, looking back onParadise Alleytoday, there was a lot to love about this directional debut asStallone captured a unique aesthetic that brought to mind B-movie pictures of times past. When viewed with the power of hindsight,Paradise Alleywas an insightful look into Stallone’s world vision and signaled an alternative direction for his career had he not embraced action movies in the 1980s.
Paradise Alley
Three Italian-American brothers, living in the slums of 1940’s New York City, attempt to help each other with one’s wrestling career using one brother’s promotional skills and another brother’s con-artist tactics to thwart a sleazy manager.
6Rocky V (1990)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 33%
TheRockyfranchise will always be the crown jewel in Sylvester Stallone’s career, and every movie in the series has something incredible to offer. However, one entry that’s always fallen out of the conversation wasRocky V, which admittable was the worst film in the long-running series. But despite the lack of love thatRocky Vhas received over the years, looking back on it today, it’s a refreshing change of pace for the franchise that did not focus on training montages andtook theRockyseries back to the dramatic roots of the original 1976 movie.
Rocky Vfeatured the Italian Stallion agreeing to train a young protégé, Tommy Gunn, hungry for success. As Rocky reestablished himself in a mentorship role,Rocky Vhad much in common with the laterCreedseries, although it wasn’t as well executed as in those later films. There was plenty of drama as Tommy betrayed Rocky in his attempts to get ahead, and although some of the performances inRocky Vwere not up to scratch and it’s painfully dated to the 1990s, it was still an enjoyable entry to the franchise that’s essential viewing for lovers of the series.
Rocky V
Facing financial ruin and health issues, Rocky returns to his roots to train a promising young fighter. As he struggles to rebuild his life, tensions rise with his protege, culminating in a dramatic street fight that forces him to confront his past and reclaim his legacy.
All 9 Rocky & Creed Movies Ranked (Including Creed 3)
With Creed III, the Rocky franchise now spans 9 movies and 6 decades. We rank every film in the boxing movie series to find the champion.
5Over the Top (1987)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 32%
It’s easy to criticizeOver the Topas Sylvester Stallone’s cheesy arm wrestling movie, but when viewed on its own merits, the film’s sheer ridiculousness was part of its appeal. As a movie that certainly lived up to its title,Over the Toptold the story of arm-wrestling truck drivers fighting for custody of their children and played into Stallone’s tough guy action hero persona. While it never quite reached the heights of theRockyfranchise,Over the Topalso doesn’t deserve the hate it gets, as it was a solidly entertaining film.
Stallone, who also co-wrote the movie, later said there were things he would change aboutOver the Top(viaAin’t It Cool News), and if he could redo it, he would make the climatic arm wrestling event in Vegas “not so carnival-like.” However,the outrageous aesthetics ofOver the Topgave it a uniquely 1980s feeling. While most of the criticisms thrown atOver the Topwere valid, it’s hard to deny that this simple film was an excellent exploration of a father-son relationship that’s a lot of fun to revisit as a Stallone fan.
Over the Top
Lincoln Hawk, a trucker and arm-wrestler, competes in a high-stakes arm-wrestling tournament to win a new truck and rebuild his life. He battles both in the ring and for the custody of his estranged son. The film blends intense sports action with a heartfelt story of redemption and family.
4Lock Up (1989)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 31%
According to director John Flynn (viaShock Cinema), the Sylvester Stallone movieLock Uphad a haphazard production, which meant filming started before a finalized script was ready. This was apparent in the uneven nature of the movie as, thematically, it jumped from intense thriller to vulnerable drama and into a sheer parody of itself. However, this does not mean viewers should dismissLock Upentirely, as it was a good movie thatfeatured one of Stallone’s best performancesand an astounding turn from Donald Sutherland as the vindictive prison warden determined to make this life a misery.
Lock Upsaw Stallone portray Frank Leone, a convict nearing the end of his sentence in a low-security prison who was transferred to a maximum-security facility where he must admit to a much stricter way of life. Stallone saidLock Upwas not made with “enough maturity” to make a significant impact (via EW), but despite its issues, it fairs much better than the action heroes' worst offerings. With an enjoyable mix of action, drama, and romance,Lock Upkept the suspense high until the credits rolled and was an underrated addition to Stallone’s body of work.
Lock Up
Lock Up stars Sylvester Stallone as Frank Leone, a convict nearing the end of his sentence in a minimum-security prison. He is unexpectedly transferred to a maximum-security facility by a vengeful warden who harbors a personal grudge against him. Directed by John Flynn, the film explores themes of resilience and justice as Leone navigates brutal challenges to regain his freedom.
3Tango & Cash (1989)
Despite standing as one of thebest action comedies of the 1980s,Tango & Cashwas harshly judged when it was first released. As the last great action comedy of its decade,Tango & Cashsaw Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell team up in a buddy cop adventure that, while full of tropes and cliches, had plenty of offers. With Stallone as the straight-laced Lieutenant Tango and Russell as the cowboy cop Lieutenant Cash, this duo had great cinematic chemistry, even if the storyline felt predictable.
With Stallone and Russell framed and sent to jail by their arch-nemesis, this pair of mismatched LAPD cops were forced to put their differences aside and take down a sinister crime barn.Tango & Cashwas full of fantastically cheesy 1980s one-linersand walked the fine line between a genuine genre picture and a hilarious parody of buddy cop stories. At its core,Tango & Cashwas a solid action movie that never truly got enough love, although its reputation has grown in stature in the decades since its release.
Tango & Cash
Two rival Los Angeles cops are forced to team up when a drug lord implicates them in a crime they didn’t commit. They end up in jail and their only option is to escape in order to bring the real culprit to justice.
2Cobra (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 18%
The abysmal rating ofCobraon Rotten Tomatoes was entirely unjustified, as this carnage-filled action film more than delivered on its promise of fun, fast-paced, and frenzied thrills. Stallone starred as the title hero, Lt. Marion “Cobra” Cobretti, a no-nonsense cop investigating a string of crimes, including a mass shooting and hostage situation at an L.A. supermarket. WhileCobrawas criticized when it was first released for its excessive violence and reliance on genre tropes, this was also part of the reason it has built up a cult following over the years.
Stallone’s character may have been one-dimensional, butCobrawas a straight-up action movie focused on thrills over characterization. As a mayhem-filled mess of a movie,Cobra’slack of decorum or narrative heft may turn off some viewers, but for action movie junkies who can’t get enough of excessive violence, it will be just what the doctor ordered. While pretentious movie critics may not connect withCobra, viewers occasionally just want to see Stallone let loose as he recklessly takes down criminals.
Cobra
In Cobra, a genius mathematician turns vigilante and uses his intellect to execute intricate crimes while police attempt to apprehend him. As the story progresses, layers of mystery unravel, leading to a gripping narrative filled with suspense and intellectual duels.
1Oscar (1991)
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 11%
It’s no surprise thatSylvester Stallone disillusioned audiences with the John Landis comedyOscar. As one of thebiggest action stars of the 1980s, seeing Stallone trade his signature style for a rare comedic performance was a little jarring, as viewers kept waiting for his character to turn violent like he did in so many movies before. However, this was not the case for this underrated box office flop, which, when viewed on its own merits, was a hilarious film led by a talented cast.
Oscarexplored a gangster trying to keep a promise to his dying father to give up his life of crime while also dealing with his wayward daughter’s (Marisa Tomei) promiscuous behavior. As a lighthearted gangster comedy set in the 1930s, this outrageous farce suffered from misguided audience expectations as Stallone had strayed too far from his normal style for viewers to enjoyOscarfor what it was. However, enough time has now passed to see thatSylvester Stallonegave an incredible performance here and thatOscarnever deserved the hate it received.
Oscar
Oscar is a 1991 comedy film directed by John Landis, starring Sylvester Stallone as Angelo “Snaps” Provolone, a gangster who promises his dying father to go straight. The plot follows Snaps' efforts to become an honest businessman while dealing with a series of comedic misunderstandings and complications. The film also features performances by Marisa Tomei, Ornella Muti, and Peter Riegert.
